Rib Cage Spider MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Spider
Abilities	Reach
Released	2000-06-05
Set symbol
Set name	Prophecy
Set code	PCY
Power	1
Toughness	4
Number	121
Frame	1997
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Dana Knutson

Key Takeaways

Provides card advantage by tutoring copies, optimizing creature deployment without losing hand momentum.
Instant speed reach offers dynamic defense against flyers, surprising opponents and bolstering battlefield control.
The discard cost and specific mana needs require careful deck building to maximize the Spider’s potential.

Text of card

Rib Cage Spider may block as though it had flying.

Everything it sees it considers food—and with that many eyes, it's not liable to miss much.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Rib Cage Spider lets you dig into your deck, offering card advantage by fetching another copy of itself from your library, ensuring you have a steady flow of blockers or attackers each turn.

Resource Acceleration: By providing a cost-effective creature, this spider can streamline your board presence, ultimately allowing for a quicker setup of your game plan without sacrificing resource momentum.

Instant Speed: Its inherent ability to block creatures with flying at instant speed enables dynamic play, offering protection when most needed and surprising opponents who might not consider aerial threats covered.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To cast Rib Cage Spider, players must fulfill an additional cost by discarding a card. This condition might hinder your strategy, especially if your hand is already depleted or if you’re required to toss a crucial piece from your game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: Rib Cage Spider demands a fixed combination of green and generic mana for its summoning. This requirement can be restrictive since it aligns with decks that cater to these mana symbols, potentially leaving out a variety of other strategic builds that don’t use green mana as effectively.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Rib Cage Spider offers certain in-game advantages, its mana cost can be deemed steep relative to other creature cards in its class. Players might find that other creatures or spells in the same mana range provide greater value or have a more immediate impact on the board state.

Reasons to Include Rib Cage Spider in Your Collection

Versatility: Rib Cage Spider, with its reach ability, serves as a strong defensive choice against flying threats. This makes it a useful inclusion in green decks that need to fortify their aerial protection.

Combo Potential: The Spider’s synergistic nature with graveyards allows it to play well in decks designed around self-mill, reanimation strategies, or as part of a larger spider tribal theme.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta heavy with flying creatures, having the Rib Cage Spider in your arsenal ensures you’ve got a cost-effective method of maintaining board control and deterring opponents from attacking with their winged assets.

How to beat

Rib Cage Spider is an intriguing creature in Magic: The Gathering, showing resilience with its reach ability that allows it to effectively block flying creatures. This arachnid can become a nuisance, particularly in a deck designed to leverage its strengths. Dealing with Rib Cage Spider requires a strategy that circumvents its defensive capabilities.

One effective method is to utilize spells that can bypass its reach trait. Spells like Shock or Lightning Bolt offer a straightforward solution to remove the Spider from the battlefield at instant speed. Alternatively, enchantments that prevent the creature from blocking or cards that force it to tap provide a path to victory without engaging it directly. Additionally, using creatures with trample can help push through damage despite the presence of the Spider.

In essence, the key to overcoming Rib Cage Spider lies in thoughtful deck building and tactical play. By incorporating direct removal, clever enchantments, or powerful attacking creatures, players can confidently handle this eight-legged defender and maintain the upper hand in their Magic: The Gathering matches.

Cards like Rib Cage Spider

Within the realm of Magic: The Gathering, the Rib Cage Spider stands as an intriguing creature known for its ability to reach through the skies and swat down flyers. For players assessing its strategic value, a comparison with other creatures reveals its unique niche. Skyshroud Sentinel, for instance, boasts a similar cost and offers deck filtering perks, but it doesn’t provide the same defensive capabilities against flying creatures. Conversely, the Giant Spider, a classic green creature, shares the anti-air reach attribute and has a slightly sturdier body, making it a comparably robust option for board control.

Another creature that often joins the conversation is Thornweald Archer. With both reach and deathtouch, the Archer may seem superior at first glance. However, it’s important to note that Rib Cage Spider can regenerate, offering a recurring blockade that is difficult for opponents to overcome through combat. While the Archer excels at removing threats permanently, the Spider excels at deterring repeated aerial assaults without the need to invest multiple cards into defense.

Analyzing these creatures side by side, Rib Cage Spider can be appreciated for its unique mix of reach, regeneration, and a moderate casting cost, marking its place in decks that focus on longevity and defense against flying creatures in MTG.

Giant Spider - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rib Cage Spider MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Rib Cage Spider and other MTG cards: